What is a good free "hardware failing software" I can use to help identify the problem?

I see a few programs on here in "the useful software" section but a lot of links don't seem right, old, strange links, etc.
I don't want to go to some sight I don't fully trust.
And I'm not sure what to get anyway.
Do I want to stress the hell out of my ram to see if it's going south? Or will that help kill my ram earlier by doing so?

Maybe it's not a ram issue at all?
Isn't there a simple trusted program out there that will do a quick check of the entire system and give a decent indication of what may be dying?

The machine didn't show me a BSOD but it just locked up for a minute then rebooted.
However, it really did BSOD as I checked after rebooting and running WMDT.
BCCode: 124
BCP1: 0000000000000000
BCP2: FFFFFA80054BF688
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000000
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\100413-25521-01.dmp

I wouldnt post duplicate threads. This is a forum, not an IM client...

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What does that mean? IM? Are you joking?
I know what this is, you are right, it's a forum, tyvm.
Now me, I wouldn't put my spam in where it doesn't belong...
Look, I've been a good member here, for quite sometime now.
Relatively quiet and laid back.
Only had a FEW small tiffs with my good bud, MM, in JEST.
I don't need or want hassles or issues with people.
I respect everyone, I expect it back.
Please try not to spam my stuff as I would not spam yours.

IM = instant message client. Its just against forum etiquette and quite possibly the actual rules to post multiple threads on the same subject is all. This has nothing to do with disrrspect or spam, quite the contrary. Just wanted to make sure you wouldn't get dinged by the moderation staff was my intent. Perhaps it woulr have been better to PM you that message...and this one, lol!

Think of it this way, if you have two threads its double the effort for you to observe two threads amd can be wasteful for members helping you as the same suggestions and responses would be in both threads. We all do this for free in our spare time and to suggest something that has already been suggested and bunked/used from another thread can get frustrating for those helping...

I was really just trying to help all involved...See you around the forums.

i'm not sure programs can figure this issue out for you, you have to kind of be familiar with your own system, its quirks, known driver issues, known microsoft issues, what you were doing at the time, etc

stressing the ram wont kill it, so that's fine

stressing the cpu & gfx, you better watch your temperatures, & also think about if your power supply is too old/weak/dying

i use intelburnintest for my heavy stress testing, in my overclocking experience it helps me gauge stability pretty quickly, a 5min error in burnin let me play tf2 for a couple hours before a crash or bsod

there is also a chance... that all you need is ONE TICK more voltage in your bios settings for the ram or cpu (or both, or additional ones like chipset)

If it locked up during Linpack but not Memtest and it didn't matter which memory sticks you used, then it's probably your CPU or motherboard that's the problem, most likely CPU. Do you have any BIOS updates that you can apply? Your voltages are all correct? I had a Biostar AMD motherboard that gave issues like this and it turned out stock voltages that were in its defaults were too high, and it was over-volting the memory and CPU, causing instability.

Have you left it overclocked for a long time before this? That's the reason I quit leaving my system overclocked 24/7; long-term stability became an issue. You may have cooked your CPU or a RAM stick if you weren't religiously watching temps or went with just a little too much voltage for too long.

IM = instant message client. Its just against forum etiquette and quite possibly the actual rules to post multiple threads on the same subject is all. This has nothing to do with disrrspect or spam, quite the contrary. Just wanted to make sure you wouldn't get dinged by the moderation staff was my intent. Perhaps it woulr have been better to PM you that message...and this one, lol!

Think of it this way, if you have two threads its double the effort for you to observe two threads amd can be wasteful for members helping you as the same suggestions and responses would be in both threads. We all do this for free in our spare time and to suggest something that has already been suggested and bunked/used from another thread can get frustrating for those helping...

I was really just trying to help all involved...See you around the forums.

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Well, what you didn't know or see was the fact I had already sent a PM to a mod and we were good in that regard. Initially thought you were some kind of special mod around here, . Then I found out you were not. And then I guess I felt you were out of place, slapping my peepee.
But all is good, my peepee is ok now. Let's just let it go, eh. No biggie. Thanks.

If it locked up during Linpack but not Memtest and it didn't matter which memory sticks you used, then it's probably your CPU or motherboard that's the problem, most likely CPU. Do you have any BIOS updates that you can apply? Your voltages are all correct? I had a Biostar AMD motherboard that gave issues like this and it turned out stock voltages that were in its defaults were too high, and it was over-volting the memory and CPU, causing instability.

Have you left it overclocked for a long time before this? That's the reason I quit leaving my system overclocked 24/7; long-term stability became an issue. You may have cooked your CPU or a RAM stick if you weren't religiously watching temps or went with just a little too much voltage for too long.

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Thank you. This kind of response is truly helpful. Just exactly what I was looking for. I will grab Memtest right now (again, thanks for supplying a link, also, very helpful). And yes, this particular machine has been over clocked for about a year now.
The PS is a Corsair 750 W and about 3 years old with a 7 year guarantee. Should be no problem there if I need another.
I'll be honest, I have not been monitoring temps right along. This machine has always run flawlessly oc'ed and I am guilty of neglect. I have been watching though, since the issue. All looks very good in that regard, but I'll watch like a hawk now. And off I go to grab the programs you mentioned.
My hat's off to you for your response.

i'm not sure programs can figure this issue out for you, you have to kind of be familiar with your own system, its quirks, known driver issues, known microsoft issues, what you were doing at the time, etc

stressing the ram wont kill it, so that's fine

stressing the cpu & gfx, you better watch your temperatures, & also think about if your power supply is too old/weak/dying

i use intelburnintest for my heavy stress testing, in my overclocking experience it helps me gauge stability pretty quickly, a 5min error in burnin let me play tf2 for a couple hours before a crash or bsod

there is also a chance... that all you need is ONE TICK more voltage in your bios settings for the ram or cpu (or both, or additional ones like chipset)

Then, if that failed, I'd start pulling sticks and test them each, one at a time, to see if they are bad. You may have lost one.

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I also forgot to mention, you may want to take a stick that tests good in one slot and try it in the others. You could have a bad slot. And although it's unlikely, if you do find a bad stick, see if you can find another board to test it in, because back in the Socket 775 days the memory controllers were still on the motherboard. (That was the main reason I was fingering the CPU, is that is where the mem controllers are now.) Sometimes sticks were ok with some mobos and bad in others, mostly due to the quirks of the way the BIOS sets the minor timings. Look into if your motherboard has voltage checkpoints and see if you can't sanity test the readings your getting in software. Some motherboards are bad about being off of the voltage they indicate by ±0.1 V or more.

If it locked up during Linpack but not Memtest and it didn't matter which memory sticks you used, then it's probably your CPU or motherboard that's the problem, most likely CPU. Do you have any BIOS updates that you can apply? Your voltages are all correct? I had a Biostar AMD motherboard that gave issues like this and it turned out stock voltages that were in its defaults were too high, and it was over-volting the memory and CPU, causing instability.

Have you left it overclocked for a long time before this? That's the reason I quit leaving my system overclocked 24/7; long-term stability became an issue. You may have cooked your CPU or a RAM stick if you weren't religiously watching temps or went with just a little too much voltage for too long.

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I need to be slapped in the head. Where is my mind lately?
I decided to re-seat my ram and found the inside of my computer was pretty dirty. I'm embarrassed.

I took it out to the garage and fired up my air compressor and blew it out good.Now I am NOT suggesting others do the same. If you are not extremely careful you can do a lot of damage real quick. And air-compressors create moisture in the air. NOT GOOD for electronics. And high pressure will destroy fragile motherboards and other parts in seconds.

I happen to have a very professional rig with inline air drier and moisture filters. This is a commercial rig I own from my past machine building career.

I recommend the layman use canned compressed air, and be careful.
Now understand, I am not a dirty type guy. I am usually anal about cleanliness but I have neglected some things lately as I have been sick for the past year or more. And computers are one of my neglects. I own 7 of them and I have to clean all the rest now.
Ok, sorry for the long wind.
Bottom line is... seems to be ok now.
I pulled the ram to re-seat it and applied new TIM to the cpu.

I ran Prime95 (Torture Test and Benchmark Test) as one of your suggestions for 24 hours and it didn't give me any errors. And temps are a few degrees cooler all the way around.
And I did grab IntelBurnTest, will run it tonight, just to be sure there are no issues.

I ran Prime95 (Torture Test and Benchmark Test) as one of your suggestions for 24 hours and it didn't give me any errors. And temps are a few degrees cooler all the way around.
And I did grab IntelBurnTest, will run it tonight, just to be sure there are no issues.

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Making it through 24 hours of Prime means you're most likely ok. I would do an hour of IntelBurnTest and a complete pass of MemTest x86 just to be on the safe side (Prime doesn't stress RAM as much as memtest). If you still have BSODs then you're most likely not chasing a hardware issue. At that point I would suggest looking into some Windows 7 forums and finding their BSOD-specific section and uploading your dump file for their gurus to look at. They could help you far more than I, I'm afraid. TPU may have such a board.